Text-Enhance

[Serbia]

Is this new? It's the first time I've run across it. I've got two links in my first game, first one on "Initial Troops", highlighting "Automatic" (pictured below), and the other on "Game Chat". That one takes me to a survey where I'm the 100th person or something, I simply closed it. I think I'm going to find this annoying rather quickly.

Click image to enlarge.

[Serbia]

It's doing it in this thread! Right now, "Automatic" is again highlighted, as well as "survey"! Oh, this is going to be fun.

[sherkaner]

you're sure it's not something else that's installed? I've never seen anything like that, my first guess would be that some spyware plugin was installed.

After some searching: could be the Game Play Labs Plug in

[QoH]

Not happening to me....

[Serbia]

Sweet, seems like I had downloaded an extension. Thanks sherkaner for helping me get rid of it!

[Tisha]

nice job.

[AndyDufresne]

Sweet, seems like I had downloaded an extension. Thanks sherkaner for helping me get rid of it!

Definitely not something on CC's end. I'm pretty sure Lack isn't very interested in monetizing words with text enhance, and I am glad, since I just avoid such websites!


--Andy

[IcePack]

I've had this since I started on CC :/

[SirSebstar]

I've had this since I started on CC :/

then fix it on your end, its most likely a plugging or spyware thats been installed on your computer...

[IcePack]

I've had this since I started on CC :/

then fix it on your end, its most likely a plugging or spyware thats been installed on your computer...

Not my computer.

[SirSebstar]

darn

[Jippd]

I've had this since I started on CC :/

then fix it on your end, its most likely a plugging or spyware thats been installed on your computer...

Not my computer.

It has to be your computer if it is not happening to everyone. It does not happen to me.


From: http://wafflesatnoon.com/2011/10/05/see ... hance-ads/

Seeing Unwanted Text Enhance Ads?

October 5th, 2011 | 11 Comments

The problem: Seeing certain words on web pages – maybe even on your own site – with unwanted green, double-underlined contextual ads. These links point to (or are at least powered by) such sites as text-enhance.com. The problem is you don’t want these text ads, nor did you give permission for them to appear on your computer. You’ll see some places that offer to remove it if you download their software, but typically downloading and running this software is an unnecessary step.

What I found alarming at first was that I was seeing these links on multiple browsers, which at first led me to believe that the code was on my site, and not on my computer. But alas, it was just malware on my computer, installed as an add-on to multiple browsers, and quite easy to remove. There are at least 3 simple ways to remove it.

• Removing Add-Ons/Extensions
In Chrome, click on the wrench at the top right, then select Tools->Extensions and remove something called “Facetheme” or “Better Links” there. The add-on called “Facetheme” was the one on my comptuer that was directly linked to text-enhance.com. “Better Links” was a similar add-on I found on a different computer, but worked essentially the same as text enhance. (In IE, go into Tools->Manage Add-Ons to remove it there. In Firefox, go into Tools->Add Ons.) While you’re in there, remove any unwanted add-ons. There’s a good chance you’ll see some you don’t recognize or want.

• Add/Remove Programs
I actually found “Facetheme” in my add/remove programs section of Windows. (In XP, go into Control Panel->Add/Remove Programs.. in Windows 7 go into Control Panel->Programs & Features). The removal process seemed to work this way as well.

• Run Superantispyware or other existing spyware removal
If the above techniques don’t work (though they should), and you already use Superantispyware (or a similar product), a “complete” scan of your system should locate such malware and prompt you to get rid of it.

So what about this text-enhance.com website anyway? Visiting their site, we see the following message:
Text-Enhance links are designed to create meaningful relationships between advertisers and consumers. If you are seeing these links, then a web publisher has decided to offer them to you. If you would like to opt-out of seeing these links, click here.

This explanation is completely bogus. You shouldn’t have to ask permission for someone to remove malware off of your computer that was put there without your permission in the first place. They didn’t play by the rules in putting the malware on your computer, so do you really think they’ll play by the rules in removing it? Don’t use this bogus opt-out tool and don’t trust them. Reading further about their bogus removal tool, they state:

Remember: Our opt-out service is cookie based. This means that if you clear your cookies (or use software to “speed up your computer”, which clears cookies for you), then Text-Enhance links will show up again. To prevent this from happening, you will need to add the domain: textsrv.com to your softwares exclusion list for cookie removal.

They have the nerve to warn you like a child that if you remove cookies, you’ll see these malware links again, and suggest adding their domain to your exclusion list! DON’T DO THIS. This is essentially allowing a criminal to hijack your computer and then tell you to play by their rules.

Try the removal techniques above instead of playing by their rules.

If you’re seeing links pointing to jxliu.com on your site, the above techniques may work as well, and you can read more about it in our earlier article here.

- Marc